As a homeowner, you’re probably pretty familiar with using a power washer to complete projects around the house. Pressure washing is a great way to get tough areas clean, and is a necessary part of annual maintenance.

Unless you have a metal or concrete roof, your roof is one area of your home where your don’t want to use a pressure washer. The pressurized water can actually cause damage to your shingles, and create water leaks. The best way to wash your roof is to soft wash it.

Cleaning your roof periodically will help to remove any algae, moss, dirt, sand, or dust, and will extend the lifetime of your roof. Soft washing uses a chemical solution to kill organic matter and remove dirt with low pressure.

Soft wash cleaning solutions do contain bleach, so it is important to take a few extra precautions before you begin your project. Most importantly, you’ll want to watch your local forecast closely. Bleach becomes inert after 24 hours, so you’ll want to plan ahead and make sure it is not due to rain for at least 24 hours after you are done applying the solution. Once it becomes inert, it can wash away with the next rainfall and will no longer be toxic. Planning your soft washing cleaning project for a dry, sunny weekend is paramount to your project’s success.

Before you begin, there are a few key steps you can take to help protect your home and the plants and foliage around your home.

  • Pre-wet plants, shrubs and foliage. To help protect plants from chemical burns caused by the bleach, coat all plants and trees in the area with water. Spray plants down with your garden hose, and pay special attention to plants and foliage directly below the roof line.
  • Tarp it up. Use tarps to cover smaller bushes and shrubs to protect them. Don’t leave the tarps over your plants for too long as they can cause your plants to overheat.
  • Catch run-off. Tape plastic trash bags to the bottom of the downspouts to catch any solution that might run into the gutters. This will help protect your landscape by preventing the cleaning solution from soaking into the ground around your home.

When you’ve completed your prep, your ready to begin the next steps. You’re ready to begin spraying down your roof with your bleach solution. You may want to consider also using a surfactant. Surfactants are bleach enhancers that help the bleach stay where you spray it. Surfactants also help protect your trees and plants by reducing run-off of excess solution.

Using a fan tip nozzle, coat the bottom of the roof first. Spray the first four feet above the gutter, and then switch to a long range shooter tip nozzle to reach the peaks. Spraying the bottom first will help to reduce run-off, and the assassin nozzle will help you apply an even coat, and prevent misting.

Finally, work with a partner to ensure best results. While you are spraying the roof, your partner should be diligent about spraying down plants and bushes to keep the vegetation moist. Your partner should also be responsible for keeping the area clear, and safe to work in.

Soft washing your roof is the best way to remove algae, fungus and lichen growth and prevent rot in your shingles. It is one of the easiest, and most cost-effective way, to protect your roof and extend it’s longevity.